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A review by mary00
Okay for Now by Gary D. Schmidt
5.0
This book is Fantastic! It is a companion novel to Schmidt's Newbery Honor book The Wednesday Wars (which is also fantastic), but you could read this one without having read The Wednesday Wars first. For me, this book even surpasses The Wednesday Wars and makes me want to go and read every single thing that Gary Schmidt has written.
I was so close to giving this book 5 stars (and maybe I will change my mind and still do so). However, the ending felt just the slightest bit convenient to me. The way things ended with the father, particulary, felt just a tad bit too contrived. So let's say it's a 4.75 instead.
Having said that, this is one of the best books that I have read in a long time and, in my humble opinion, should earn many awards this year (including the Newbery (fingers crossed)).
Having read this book directly after having finished Split (another book which contains an abusive father), I especially appreciated Schmidt's ability to portray the horrific aspect of living in an unstable and abusive home environment without actually having to spell out many of the details or use graphic descriptions and language.
In short, this is a gem of a novel which is at turns heartbreaking, sweet, and humorous and contains a memorable and lovable (yet flawed) protagonist. I feel that this book would be every bit as appealing to adults as it is to the children/ youth it is marketed for.
I was so close to giving this book 5 stars (and maybe I will change my mind and still do so). However, the ending felt just the slightest bit convenient to me. The way things ended with the father, particulary, felt just a tad bit too contrived. So let's say it's a 4.75 instead.
Having said that, this is one of the best books that I have read in a long time and, in my humble opinion, should earn many awards this year (including the Newbery (fingers crossed)).
Having read this book directly after having finished Split (another book which contains an abusive father), I especially appreciated Schmidt's ability to portray the horrific aspect of living in an unstable and abusive home environment without actually having to spell out many of the details or use graphic descriptions and language.
In short, this is a gem of a novel which is at turns heartbreaking, sweet, and humorous and contains a memorable and lovable (yet flawed) protagonist. I feel that this book would be every bit as appealing to adults as it is to the children/ youth it is marketed for.